AUSTIN, TEXAS Oct. 30, 2017 — Keller Williams, the world’s largest real estate franchise by agent count, is expanding internationally with new master franchises in Bermuda and the Philippines.
Outside of the United States and Canada, the franchise is now home to 5,073 international agents across the 26 countries and regions it has awarded master franchise agreements to date.
“We are so proud to welcome KW Bermuda and KW Philippines into our growing worldwide family,” said William E. Soteroff, president, Keller Williams Worldwide, the international division of Keller Williams. “Utilizing our systems and models, agents in these new regions will be better able to expand their business opportunities while serving their clients at the highest level.”
Led by Regional Operating Principal Albert Moura, the Keller Williams franchise in Bermuda is initializing operations. Since 2003, Moura has served as the owner of Bermuda-based Moura & Associates, which will rebrand into a Keller Williams franchise.
Nine real estate professionals are expected to become a part of KW Bermuda with the rebrand. Moura & Associates currently specializes in the sale and lease of residential and commercial properties in country.
“What made Keller Williams stand out is that it’s so agent-centric,” said Moura. “The brand is so focused on education and culture.”
“With Keller Williams’ models and systems, our agents will be the most educated, productive and motivated in Bermuda. They will be equipped with all the best business tools in real estate,” said Moura.
Keller Williams has expanded in Asia. Led by Regional Controlling Principal Steve Chien and Regional Operating Principal Rolando C. Acuesta, the Keller Williams franchise in the Philippines now has three market centers open.
“Keller Williams’ business model, training curriculum and powerful culture will be key to it becoming the leading real estate brokerage in the country,” said Chien. “The Keller Williams value proposition is a game-changer.”
KW Philippines is backed by a team of leaders with more than 40 years’ experience in residential, commercial and leisure real estate development. Chien and Acuesta are scheduling office launches and overseeing the recruitment of additional agents to take leadership roles.
“Real estate franchising may be unheard of in the Philippines, yet it’s advantageous to sellers for better training and lead generation, to clients for more reliable and smoother services, and to franchisees for having a tested business model and known brand name,” said Acuesta.
“Keller Williams is going to change the way we sell real estate in the Philippines,” said Acuesta.
Keller Williams Worldwide is currently exploring further expansion opportunities across Central and South America, Central and Eastern Europe, and throughout Asia.
“In business development conversations, our focus remains solely on choosing the right people to lead Keller Williams’ franchises worldwide. On average, we spend more than eight months in extensive training before officially launching a franchise. It is a complex process for a reason as each new leader becomes the standard-bearer in their country,” said Soteroff.
The core criteria for new franchises starts with having a qualified leadership team grounded in Keller Williams culture; the company also strives for government, banking and judicial system stability and a higher maturity level for a real estate market.
Keller Williams is now home to 26 worldwide regions including Belize; Bermuda; Canada; Colombia; Costa Rica; Dubai, UAE; France; Greater Shanghai, China; Indonesia; Israel; Jamaica; Mexico; Monaco; Nicaragua; Panama; Philippines; Poland; Portugal; Puerto Rico; Southern Africa; Spain; Turkey; the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus; the United Kingdom; the United States; and Vietnam.
Austin, Texas-based Keller Williams Realty, Inc., is the world’s largest real estate franchise, with more than 900 offices and 173,000 associates across the Americas, Europe, Africa and Asia. In 2017,Training magazine named Keller Williams the No. 1 training organization across all industries in the world.
Since 1983, Keller Williams has grown exponentially and continues to cultivate an agent-centric, education-based, technology-driven culture that rewards agents as stakeholders. The company also provides specialized agents in luxury homes, commercial and farm and ranch properties.
For more information, visit kw.com.
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